Icing machine



L. STILES ICING MACHINE sept. 19, 195o 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1946 e Con/e ff/e5 2 l n v C e M r J m ,E mnu DM m 5 r e IIIII e v I .e k r n v\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ N, J n Wn Il. s v/ a f2 ,l Nm 0 l i c L. STILES ICING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1946 Sept. 19, 1950 L. slLEs 2,522,847

IcING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JNI/E/Vrog.- Le Canje f1/es l ATTOp/Xsf,

Patented Sept. 19, 1950 UNITED-1A STATES. PATENT OFFICE ICING MACHINE Il'eConie Stiles, Seattle, Wash.`

ApplicationMay 28,' 1946,y Serial No;`672,847

(Cl. .9i-2)` 9 Claims..

This f invention relates 'to certain. new l andV .usefulimprovements in machinesfor'icing calles;

The primary object of the inventionk is, to` loro vide a machine for icing cakes in which the' machine is preferably of a portable'character andembodies a series of `conveyorsfor the cakesto bei iced suchas What is'iknownfinthe `trade as coffee cakes and includes mechanism for the centering of the cakes Ielative-fto` the conveying devices for correctly positioning the cakes for the application of icing thereto.`

A` further object :ofA the` inventionis` to provide:

amachine for icing coffee` cakes` wherein the cakes that pass over an icing drum-,.arelheld in intimate contact"` therewith for'the` properA alp-.l

plication oflicing thereto.

It is a further-and important objectof the in vention to provide an icing machine' for coffee cakes andthe like, wherein adrumistemployedl forA applying icing to: the undersides ,ofi coffeez cakes passingthereover. with: the drumI dipping` into `an icing receptacle or pan-` andvvith steamu` heating means.- associated.` with. theV `drunk for f1 maintaining the icing inthe pansor receptacle in a semi-fluidlor plastic condition.`

A" still `further object of the invention is` to` provide a cake icing'machine` oftheforegoingv character that employs a rotatable drum; for the application of icingto the cakes lwith.adjustable means associated with the. drumior controlling` the thickness of icing thereon that is carriedsto theV calles being iced. l

A.. still `further objectief the invention is to provide a machine foricingcoffee `cakes wherein the `coffee cakes pass. over a series of convex/'ons and an icing drum while in inverted condition with the icing applied. to the lower sides ot Vthe cakes and with means for placingthe `coffee cakes inuprighty position after.. passage throught the machine and being substantially. dried, with the` iced calresdelivered from themachine in uprightv condition.

With the above and other objects in View that Will become apparent as the nature of thevinven tion is better understood ther same consists in, the novel form, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described; shown in the accompanying drawings', and claimed.

In the drawings.:

Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional( View taken centrally i the machine: showing coiee cakes traveling therethrough on endless;

conveyors, lpassing over the icing drum .and in contact with the position reversing or turning over devices. the dryingconveyor following the icing drum beingshownbydotted lines inhinged lil elevated position permitting access to the` icing receptacle for refilling, cleaning and the like,`

Figure ahorizontal sectional vievvk takenon line 2.-2 of Figure `1 and illustrates the centering devices for, thecakes associatedwith the.` conveyor. next. preceding.- the .icing drum,`

Figure-,3, is a` longitudinal sectional view ofthe: icngwdrum and associated removable. end bear-1 ings With one ofthe bearings. fashioned forthe iioW of alheatingmedium toand from thedrum. for maintaining, the icingA inthe receptacle, ina semi-fluentv or plastic condition,

Figure 4 `is, an enlarged fragmentary eleva,- tional view, 4partly in section, showing the ver.- tically adiustableweighted holddown device for maintaining contact between the cakes, and the icing drum.

Figure 5 is` a detail sectional. View taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2, showing, the centering..

chains forthe cakes in placing them in proper position for icingon.. the conveyor section next preceding the icing drum, u

Figure. 6 is a fragmentary elevational, View of the bank or standofrollers and the operating Figures is da fragmentary plan view of one of*` the cake conveyorsjillustrated as being of Wire mesh construction.

Briefly described,` the cake icing' machine dis coffee cakesand` in the description of the machine only calres -will be referred to. The machine ispreferably of the portable type isA of general rectangular formation inA plan-view as illustrated in Figure 2j the frame of the machine ,comprising base rails Ill and'upright corner legs H supporting side head rails i2 at their upoerends, thefside portions ofthe frame being bracedand connected by cross angle irons i3; Center legs I4` extendbetween base and head rails l!! and I2 while theframe is supported on` casters I5: i

The cake-icing mechanism andthe conveying closed in this application while being capable` of applying icing to cakesofl Varioustypes, the machine was especially designed for the icing ofl devices for the cakes are arranged at the upper end of the frame while the return conveyors for the iced cakes are preferably arranged intermediate the upper and lower endsI of the frame, and such conveying devices travel in chosen directions so that cakes to be iced are fed to the machine at one end and are delivered in iced condition from the same end of the machine. The conveying and icing devices for the cakes include a feed.

conveyor A that delivers the cakes to a centeringr conveyor B and from said centering conveyor the cakes are delivered to an icing drum and asso-- ciated icing receptacle C and thereafter pass onto g a drying conveyor D. From the drying conveyor D the iced cakes are delivered to the cake-positioning reversing mechanism E and from there are delivered to return or delivery conveyors G in an upright condition with the iced surface of the cake presented upwardly.

As shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 2, the4 feed conveyor A comprises an endless belt l E that may be of any type desired, but preferably as illustrated in Figure 9 as being formed of a wire mesh Nia, and said endless belt passes overguide rollers l1 and i8 carried by shafts I9 that are journaled at opposite ends in bearings 2B on .the head rails l2, the shaft I9 for the guide roller i8 being extended and having a chain driven sprocket 2i thereon as illustrated. The cakes to be iced are first dumped from a pan, upside down onto the conveyor I6, and the cakes designated by the reference character` X are illustrated as widely separated to clear the mechanism. Usually at least four cakes are dumped from a single pan onto the conveyor I6 and `at random and these cakes are then delivered to the centering conveyor B.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 5, the centering conveyor B includes an endless belt 22 of -the same general type as vthe belt 6, withvthe-belt passing over guide rollers 23 with the upper run thereof in the plane of the upper run of the conveyor belt i5. The rollers 23 have bearing, supports on the frame similar to the bearings 2D andV one of the rollers has a sprocket chain .driven wheel 24 thereon for the operation ofthe `conveyor 22. A post 25 rises from each headrail I2 and supports at its upper end a cross arm 2E with a bearing 21 at each end of the cross armfor a sprocket wheel over whichan. endless chain passes, the cross arm 26 being so angled with respect to the length of the head railv l2 as to present corresponding ends of the endlesschains 28 in overlapping relation to the endless conveyor 22 at opposite sides thereof. The operating means for the endless chains 28 include meshing gears 29,-one of which is mounted on the shaft 3u that carries the adjacent belt roller 23 as illustrated in Figure 5. From an inspection of Figure 2 it will be observed that the endless chain 28 driven in the direction as indicated by arrow lines at opposite sides .of the machine will -position andaline the cakes centrally of the conveyor 22 and present the -cakes inwardly of the opposite ends of the receiving icing drum and associated mechanism C.

The icing drum, icing receptacle and drying conveyor `D are all closely related and the icing receptacle will lbe first described. As illustrated in Figure 1, the icing receptacle or pan 3l has an inclined bottom wall with the deeper end terminating slightly inwardly of the delivery end ofthe centering conveyor 2-2, the icing receptacle being suitably supported at the upper end of the'machine frame. The icing drum is shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 3 and includes a hollow drum 32 mounted at its ends in bearings 33 and 311 preferably supported on the head rails i2, the end of the drum adjacent the bearing 33 having an internally threaded axial opening therein for the reception of a removable screw plug 35 carried in the bearing 33 and capable of displacement from the drum by removal of the end plate 36 of said bearing 33. The bearing 34 for the opposite end of the drum houses a rotatable shaft 31, the inner end of which has removable threaded engagement with an internally threaded central opening in the adjacent end of the drum 32. Upon removal of the screw plug 25 and shaft 31 from opposite ends of the drum, the latter may be removed for interiorly cleaning the same of any rust, incrustations, or other foreign deposits that would deter the heat transfer characteristic of the drum. As illustrated in Figure 1, the drum 32 dips into-the icing in the deeper end of the icing receptacle 3| and a heating medium is supplied interiorly of the drum for maintaining the icing in the receptacle in a semifluent or plastic condition. Again, as shown in Figure 3, the'rotatable shaft 31 has two spaced non-communicating annular channels 38 and 351 therein, the channel 38 communicating with a longitudinal bore i9 in the shaft 31 that enters the adjacent bearing end of the drum 32 and threadably receives one end of an elongated tube il that has its other open end terminating adjacent the other end of the drum. Steam, hot water, or other heating medium from a source of supply is delivered by the pipe 42 to the channel 38 and bore Sli for passage through the tube 4i as illustrated by arrowI vlines to the interior of the drum 32 substantially axially thereof. The

outlet for the steam or other heating mediun'iV from the icing drum 32 is by way of the second bore 43 in the shaft 31, channel 39 and outlet pipe i4 entering the bearing 34 and communicating with said channel 39. A glandular packing 45 is interposed between the shaft 31 and bearing :'34 to` prevent the escape of the heating medium. As illustrated a chain driven sprocket 45 is mounted on the extended end of the shaft 31 for rotating the latter and the icing drum 32 attached thereto.

The cakes X having been placed on the conveyor devices upside down have their ultimate upper faces passed over the icingdrum 32 for the application of icing thereto and holddown devices are provided for maintaining proper engagement of theA cakes with the icing drum as illustrated in Figures 1 and A. A post l1 rises from each head rail I 2` in. proximity of the bearings 33 and 34 and are connected at their upper ends by a cross head 4&3. A shaft 4S is journaled longitudinally of the. head 48 and carries at each end thereof abevel gear 50 that meshes with a bevel gear 5| carried by the upper end of ascrew shaft 52 fitted in the cross head l and engageable at its lower end in a screw block 53. A shaft 54 is rotatably supported at its opposite ends in the screw blocks 53 and carries a drum 55 upon which spaced sets of sprocket teeth 5t? are formed -to be `traversed. by loosely depending sprocket chains 51 that support within their lower end loops azweighted roller 53. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the lower runs or looped portions of the sprocket chains 51 contact the cakes X and operate to feed the cakesV over the icing drum 32.

To control the depth or thickness of icingl delivered by the ,drum 32 tothe cakes X, there is.

` 51T; providedil a" scraper" bar 592 horizontally moving' throughtheV deeper' end oiV tlie icing'f receptacle' lfint'o proximity'of the icingdrumB'Zf andthis serap'erY bfar or blade is controlledt inf itsN position witl'lrespect to'wtheperipheral? surface' or" said* drum by its l engagementf'withf-hook" members tllfA that are shiftable through the medium of Wormand gear. devices '51" supported on' the `hea'drail crank 62 shown in` Figure?. Revertingy to the` holddown `devices for thecakes as l' illustrated in Eig-nrefl, it is toi be `not"ed\tl'iat 1 upon-rotation" of theesliaft 49 by ythe -crankf lite-'atene 1endthereo1` thatdthe screwifrod's 52`f are* adiiisted" ior= raising a-ndloweringthe screw blocksSS teaccommodate A` thet `cakesr of-various' thicknesses:

The" drying conveyor` Disof f thel endless type andembodies an endless lcelt` (i3-ofthe type shown at l'in'liigure 9` and the speed of movement of'tlie Vendless belt 6'3 is such'- that theu icing on the cakes `delivered -thereto from` the' icing'drunr is'substantially dry 'when passed onto the invert'- ing fdevices.- The endless belt G3i is' mounted on rollers' 64 and rsupported` on` the headrrails of the machine and saidlconveyorf '63 lis'-E adapted to lie-moved 'on the bearing' ends' ofi the roller i S51-to theff' dotted l line' position shown'- iii"'-ililf'gureA` l" tia-- permit access to theici'ng pant-l forethereplen'` ishing of f fresh' icing andf'cleaning 'ofl theV rece-pe tacle. veyor`63 is supportedin its operative position-by" theelugs 65 extending from opposite"'sides there@ of as=showni`n Figure-'f2 for'engagement with"L therhead rails'lZ.

The iced cakes with the' icing" on" therloWer" faces' thereofthen passover'apa'ii` of; deliveryv orguide'rollersl and 6'8 relatively arrangedias' illustrated in Figure 1" and each'roller'inclndes a plurality of spacedidisks'il'and' 1li* to'present a'minimum of contactwith the'iced'sideS'Of 'the'A cake: As 'shown' more' clearly in"1i'gures "T` and 8" a' notched scraper'bla'de 1|4 extends'f'rom' the' ad?, jacent'end'of the icing" receptacle 31 with' the' disks l!) passing through the notches of the blade 1l for" the removal of any icing adhering thereto which is dropped into the drip pan 12.

The cakes are delivered'ff'rom the'guide rollers ltfand tllftothe reversing mechanism: E which comprises an arcuate bank of rollerssl'tjournaled at their ends in upstandingarms 1l!"` rising from opposite side bars' l5` of return conveyor 16. As shown more clearly in'f'li'gures 1 andd each roller 13 sprocket .wheelillon correspondiing ends thereofcthataretraversednby af'sprocket chain 1582. andlthe drive .for therrollers 133iy ludes azibeltlcr chain19,.from..th.e lower; rcllervtor` the adjacent roller lllof thereturn'.' c'onveyor1'16lA It willi be u observed that i thei cakes X"'pass =overrthe delivery afndguideirollers. 61 andi-(55 as illustrated in'v4 Figure f `1 for. engagement withi'r the reversing rollers 13 and are moved by the latter in an arcuate path and placed in an upright position onto the return conveyor belt 16 as illustrated. As shown in Figure l the end of the conveyor 16 opposite the roller bearing 89 has a pivot roller bearing 8l so that the roller end 80 of the conveyor 1t may be raised or lowered with respect to the rollers @l and 68 to accommodate cakes of different sizes and to accomplish such adjustment a lever system 82 is associated with the side frame oars 15 of the conveyor 16 and an adjacent upright leg I I of the frame and includes an operating handle 83 having a latch moving over a segment 84. From the delivery conveyor 16 the iced cakes are passed onto the nal delivery conveyor The free Hswingngend" of the" drying' confl 8Eiltliatdliversrthe=iced cakes'inuprightposltfom` atthe."` cakei-receiving'fend on theQma'chine:v 1 i It will be understoocl'thatv appropriate driving?Y devicesror other" power i'm'ea'ns. that'iformznotpart' r ofi the.' presenttinvention are: employed forfrthe'i operation` off thee'` various: conveying .'deyicesr, .andi while' ther'ei-isr` herein shown and'.` describedsithezs preferred' embodiment: of: the invention; ist

nevertheless to'heunderstoorl that minor 'changes may be madeisthereinwithoutideparting'ffromf ther'- spiritiandrscope" of'zthe .invention i asy claimed .u i

I1"claim':` L In' i aa machine 1 for; icing; cakes, a supporting' frame ai series'. of. cake' conveyors Yon the :frames including." al feed; conveyor" at one endl' thereof g. w1.

rotatablercalreeicingydrumxat the endhofitheafeedi y onthefframe =facilitating` cleaninglof the?y interiorel ofthe drum;` cne'of said'loearings having inlet'fand outlet steam flow passages therein for heating' the drum, the inletpassagebeing 'in communication'` with the.' interioriA of the:` drurni` l andi pipe; extending from theoutletlpassage tofthe others'` end.' cil the drum rand "disposed'sulo'stantially4 axially ofl the' drum, the'l drying' 'conveyor' being 'pivotally mounte'di at'oneend"and'adapted to' :belswungf up;- wa'rdly' to permit'access to 'the' icingreceptacler 2t lin afmacliine iorri'cingf'cakes; a supportirgt frame',A a series `of f cake' conveyors' and manipuler l torsion' the` frame' including I a' feed conveyor ati onesend thereof',` a rotatablecake-icing@drum' at" onefend'ofth'e feed conveyor 'overwhich' the=cakes pass .forltherappli'cation officing t'o 'thelundersiiies thereof; Weighted'means overlying the icingdrum' fonlrioldinglthe cakes incontact with' the-icingr' drinn,A afdrying'lconveyor receivingsthe iced cakesf an .icing Y'receptacle beneath the `drying"conveynrf andzfinto.' which thee icing drum dips, removable; bearing supports'4 on theframe facilitating.: cleaning of ftheinterior `of'th'e drum; one` of: said?` hearings having inlet and:` outlet' steam:y ilowfpas-- sages therein forv heating the drum', the inlet passage being'incommnnication with'.the :interiorl ofcthe' drum; anclza pipe4 extending' fronritheoutlei'; passage'toithe: otherend` 'ofzthe'` drumiand disposed-'f sulo'stantiallyv axially: of.' the drum;` therv drying conveyor being: pivotally mounted at one end and" adapted'to he swung upwardly toipermittaccessl f" conveyor 'at onefend thereof, awrotatalolescake'el icing drum: at the end of the feed conveyor over which the cakes pass for the application of icing to the undersides thereof, weighted means overlying the icing drum for holding the cakes in contact with the icing drum, means for regulating the thickness of icing on the drum for transmission to the cake being iced, a drying conveyor receiving the iced cakes, an icing receptacle beneath the drying conveyor |and into which the icing drum dips, removable end bearing supports on the frame facilitating cleaning of the interior of the drum, one of said bearings having inlet and outlet steam ow passages therein for heating the drum, the inlet passage being in communication with the interior of theV drurn,` and a pipe extending from the outlet passage to the other end of the drum and dispose substantially axially of the drum.

:114; 1In a machine for icing cakes, a supporting frame; ra series of Icake conveyors and manipulatersA on the frame including a feed conveyor aton'e end thereof, a rotatable cake-icing drum at the tail end of the feed conveyor over which the; cakes pass for the application of icing to the undersides thereof, a drying conveyor receiving'the iced cakes, means at the end of the drying conveyor for inverting the cakes to dispose the iced sides upwardly, delivery conveyors forth'e iced cakes, the means for inverting the iced-'cakes including an rarcuate stand of driven rollersV extending horizontally across the deliver-yf end of the drying conveyor, and means interp'osed between the drying conveyor and rollers for directing the cakes onto the rollers, said 'stand -of rollers being mounted on the cake-'receiving end of the delivery 'conveyor and said delivery conveyor being pivotally supported at its far end ywhereby the stand of rollers may be adjusted relative to the delivery end-of the drying conveyor for adapting the machine'to the handling of cakes of different sizes;

'In' a machine for icinlg cakes, a supporting frame, a series of cake conveyors and manipulators on the frame including a feed conveyor at' one end thereof, a rotatable cake-icing drum at the tail end of the feed conveyor over which the cakes pass for the application of icing to the undersides thereof, a drying conveyor receiving the iced cakes, means at the end of the drying conveyor for inverting the cakes to dispose the iced sides upwardly, and delivery conveyors for the iced cakes, the means for invertingz'the `iced cakes including an arcuate stand of y driven rollers extending horizontally across the delivery end of the drying conveyor, said stand ot rollers being mounted on the cake receiving end of the adjacent delivery conveyor and said last named conveyor being `pivotally supported at;its far end whereby the stand of rollers may be adjusted relative to the delivery end of the drying conveyor for adapting the machine to the handlirng of cakes of `different sizes.

,2165111 a machine for icing cakes, a supporting frame,- a series of cake conveyors and manipulators on .the frame including a feed conveyor at onev end thereof, a rotatable cake-icing drum at the tail end of the feed conveyor over which thevcakes pass for the application of icing to theundersides thereof, a drying conveyor receiving the iced cakes, means at the tail end of` the drying conveyor for inverting the cakes to dispose the iced sides upwardly, and a delivery conveyor for the iced cakes, the means for inverting the iced cakes including an arcuate stand ,vofrollersv-extending horizontally acrossthe delivery end of the drying conveyor.

7. Structure according to claim 6 in which the cake-receiving end of the delivery =conveyor is adjustable vertically in relation to the point of discharge of the cakes from the drying conveyor.

l8. In a machine for icing cakes, a supporting frame, a series of cake conveyors on the frame including a feed conveyor at one end and a drying conveyor at thefother end thereof, a rotatable cake-icing drum for the application of icing to the undersides thereof and over which the cakes pass in course of their conveyed travel, an icing receptacle beneath the drying conveyor and into Iwhich the icing drum dips, removable end-bearing supports on the frame facilitating cleaning of the interior of the drum, one of said bearings having inlet and outlet steam-flow passages therein for heating the drum, the inlet passage being in communication with the interior of the drum, and a pipe extending from the outlet passage to the other end of the drum and disposed substantially axially of the drum.

9. In a machine for icing cakes, a supporting frame, a series of cake conveyors on the frame including a feed conveyor at one end and a drying conveyor at the other end thereof, a rotatable cake-icing drum for the application of icing to the undersides thereof and over which the cakes pass in course of their conveyed travel, weighted means overlying the icing drum for holding the cakesin contact with the icing drum, an icing receptacle beneath the drying conveyor and into which the icing drum dips, removable end-bearing supports on the frame facilitating cleaning of the interior of the drum, one of said bearings having inlet and outlet steam-W passages therein for heating the drum, the inlet passage beingin communication with the interior of the drum, anda pipe extending from the outlet passage to the other end of the drum and disposedsubstantially axially of the drum.

LECONIE STILES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the leof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

